Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
BMC Medical Research Methodology
Volume
20
Issue
1
Publisher
Springer Nature / BMC
School
School of Medical and Health Sciences
RAS ID
43088
Funders
National Health and Medical Research Council National Heart Foundation of Australia Australian Government
Grant Number
NHMRC Number : APP1080186, APP1125913
Grant Link
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1080186 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1125913
Abstract
Background This study examined the criterion validity of the online Active Australia Survey, using accelerometry as the criterion, and whether self-report bias was related to level of activity, age, sex, education, body mass index and health-related quality of life. Methods The online Active Australia Survey was validated against the GENEActiv accelerometer as a direct measure of activity. Participants (n = 344) wore an accelerometer for 7 days, completed the Active Australia Survey, and reported their health and demographic characteristics. A Spearman’s rank coefficient examined the association between minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity recorded on the Active Australia Survey and GENEActiv accelerometer. A Bland-Altman plot illustrated self-report bias (the difference between methods). Linear mixed effects modelling was used to examine whether participant factors predicted self-report bias. Results The association between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity reported on the online Active Australia Survey and accelerometer was significant (rs = .27, p < .001). Participants reported 4 fewer minutes per day on the Active Australia Survey than was recorded by accelerometry (95% limits of agreement −104 – 96 min) but the difference was not significant (t(343) = −1.40, p = .16). Self-report bias was negatively associated with minutes of accelerometer-recorded moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and positively associated with mental health-related quality of life. Conclusions The online Active Australia Survey showed limited criterion validity against accelerometry. Self-report bias was related to activity level and mental health-related quality of life. Caution is recommended when interpreting studies using the online Active Australia Survey.
DOI
10.1186/s12874-020-0896-4
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Comments
Curtis, R. G., Olds, T., Plotnikoff, R., Vandelanotte, C., Edney, S., Ryan, J., & Maher, C. (2020). Validity and bias on the online active Australia survey: Activity level and participant factors associated with self-report bias. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 20, article 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-020-0896-4